aside A Blighty Tale: “Stereotyping And The Psychological Impact Of Imperalism in the Modern World.”

Yes, continue stereotyping through telling the island your descents oppressed – they can have the money but you need them to build a prison.

Weird and Wonderful would like to share something so Psychologically damaging it will make your toes curl. If you are Irish, Chinese, Asian and Black be prepared to let me heal you. The rest have to be aware of how you feel. So, after reading this please do not be afraid to post your feelings and thoughts as I will try to explain the mental health aspects, thank you.

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People have asked me why I am so serious; they say I see the world in a weird way. I do not talk at times; I smile and observe. However, I do not think I am seeing this in a weird way. I think I am normal – I just do not wish to be Stereotyped.

What was the psychological impact of slavery?

For many year’s, many minorities have been slaves in the Imperialistic Era of “Blighty” – it is an embarrassment. The blood which has been spilt – the devestation of mass degenocide has been calculated to 17,000, 000 during 1501 – 1834. As ships from Spain, Portugal and England carried millions of African slaves to the new world. Now, there is a realisation of the mental health issues occured within the slaves post – emancipation.
According to Insanity Race And Colonialism (2014) ;

“

Despite emancipation from the evils of enslavement in 1838, most people of African origin in the British West Indian colonies continued to suffer serious material deprivation and racial oppression until 1914. The exposure of deplorable conditions and flagrant abuses in the public lunatic asylum in Kingston, Jamaica, in the late 1850s exemplified the defective nature of provision for mentally disordered people throughout the region. Thereafter, British-inspired ‘civilising’ reforms were gradually implemented in the main Caribbean territories. However, in some of the region’s other colonies, improvements were little more than cosmetic.”

This is why Bob Marley sang “free yourselves from mental slavery” in redemption song. He was trying to talk about the truth: the state of mind of a tiny island and the psychological affect of the people. Bob Marley lived in Trelawny, located on the East of the Island.

Of course, I would love to give the Carribean Islands a little nickname! This makes me weird and wonderful, like, Blighty meaning Britain: covering my “A Blighty Tale posts.” Using this method to reduce the psychological impact on the reader.

I am sure all of the Jamaicans in the world are looking forward to a rename. When I visited my mom there were pineapple names on every street and pineapple was on the money. You can grow a pineapple on other islands. This has to be something not even connected to slavery because it has had a grip on their way of life. Yes, they are a determined people – however, the oppression as shown by Insanity Race And Colonialism is still impeding on their wellbeing. So without further adieu let me be optimistic.

The true name for the Island of Jamaica is “Xaymaca” and according to ref world, (2007): it means ‘Island Springs‘. Now the indegiounous people of Xaymaca are Taíno, an Arawak-speaking people who began arriving on Hispaniola by canoe from the Belize and the Yucatan peninsula sometime before 2000 BCE.

Pochohontas is a Disney Character who can relate to many of the Arawak people.

If you have never seen Pochohontas, I suggest you do watch it with children because it will give you the “nice” Walt Disney version of how the Taíno people came across the Spanish colonists who arrived in 1501, post – Christopher Colombus discovery.

An introduction to history is necessary to break the continual psychological stigmas attached to a race of people. Yes, I do realise that Pochohontas is not a real character. The storyline in Pochohontas is the colonists wanted the gold, and wanted to capture the Taíno people as slaves for trade. In reality they did and around 1523 after the Spanish had established trade routes exporting: caco, tabacco and gold, the first African Slaves were shipped after exploiting Taíno people’s hospitality and making them into slaves.

It is okay to introduce the historical impact of slavery into a child, however, it is not okay to make them feel like they will constantly be oppressed. It is not okay for a child to think they will be treated like an outcast, in a society which oppressed their descents. Embracing this psychological change is difficult. For oppression is raw and the racism is a perpetuating habit if governments cannot find a way like Disney to embrace Diversity. This is all about Equality and Diversity and how it can improve the psychological wellbeing of generations of a society.

I find this all very morbid to be honest with you. Even the story of Pochohontas is trying to create the historical factor but sends a wave of depression as soon as you think about the real aspect of it all. These people really had no choice they were beaten within an inch of their lives. All very barbaric.

So has their ever been rebels in Xaymaca?

The best thing about Xaymaca are the Maroons. I must warn you I become quite inspired talking about the Maroons. They were a mixture of Taíno and exodus fleeing Africans from the Ashanti tribe.

In 1655, the British invaded the island and the Maroons had already decided to make the Mountains and hills their home. By this time they had already rebelled and raided several Spanish plantations.

In 1670, Blighty had won Xaymaca and signed an agreement with the Spanish with a Treaty of Madrid. How very digraceful; both countries just plundered the goods and then made a treaty. The audacity of such behaviour is remarkable. So, large scales of Africans were shipped for slavery to build an Empire but in a bizarre twist – Port Royal; built by the Spanish: a slavery market trade centre – was nearly destroyed in an earthquake.

To this day fort Port Royal, is at an angle and it’s gradient is at a slant. Therefore, a new location was necessary and Kingston emerged. Of course, the greedy imperialists continued slavery.

The Maroons resisted and had two separate armies:

Trelawny Town Maroons – with the Colonel Cudjoe.

Windward Maroons – With Queen Nanny and Quoe.

Xaymaca loves Nanny of the Windward tribe so much they printed the National Heroine on $500 notes.

Let’s focus on the Windward Maroons and Nanny. Why because this was the new times and equality can be witnessed as a woman Nanny was able to establish unity in the Maroons. Nanny was strategic and would beat the Blighty Army to their own tactical pursuit. She would ambush the Blighty Army using gorilla style tactics. She had held them back for a very long period of time.

The Blighty Army continued the slave triangle for 1,000,000 African Slaves were shipped and the British took hold of Xaymaca forcing the Maroons to flee to neighbouring islands Puerto Rico and Hati. Unfortunately, Hati was captured by the Blighty Army in 1801.

Sam Sharpe, was a Baptist who led an anti- slavery abolishment campaign in 1831. He was 31 years old and lived on the west of Xaymaca, he organised a general strike against slavery. He was executed for trying to rebel. Unfortunately, after his attempts to toppel the regeme; the barbaric Blighty Army had then executed 138 rebels and this public display of all deaths ref world, (2014) states:

“After being hanged, the convicted were decapitated and their heads placed in conspicuous spots on their plantations as a further deterrent.”

So, you can see the connection of mental health issues on this kind of oppressive tactic. The whole of the Carribean was in uproar, very oppressed feeling withdrawn as though they couldn’t fight back. Sometimes, when I watch “PiratesoftheCarribean” or “Black Sails” – I get the feeling they really have tried to capture the equality, but, not quite. This is because, it really has been a very objective, oppressive and somewhat mistrustful and discriminating; underminding affair. When the whole of Xaymaca during the time was very mixed and there was an atmosphere of colonialists from other coutries such as Germany who did not agree to slavery. I realise Germany was in spiritual awakening mode creating Lutheranism through writing The Land of The Midnight Sun: “Fundamental Beliefs”

They started the first missionary projects which may have influenced Sam Sharpe. Through writing about the psychological aspects to understand the complexities of slavery on mental health in Xaymaca, you need to see it was not just the Africans who became slaves. There was a mixture of countries who were sold as slaves to the America’s: China, India and some of the Australian Aborigines also.

Now, emancipation was beginning to form some kind of value to these people who had been oppressed and found freedom in Xaymaca. So in 1831, the abolishing of slavery on the island had commenced. Unfortunately, the Blighty government repaid the plantation owners and not the slaves. They paid the plantation owners US $33 million. They also told the slaves they must work as labour for 10 years to be fully deemed free.

Evidence will now be shown and the revelation will reveal the psychological impact on this situation, which should balance out an island to equal proportion. As the Chinese became slaves on the island because of emancipation as the Xaymaca National Library, (2015) states:

“By 1854, the first group of four hundred and seventy two (472) Chinese come toJamaica from Panama . Prior to this time there were about thirty Chinese living in Jamaica . The second batch, of about two hundred, coming from Trinidad and British Guiana arrived inJamaica between 1864-1870. On June 12, 1884 , a third group of about six hundred and eighty arrived straight from China , all having three year contracts.”

Bearing in mind – even though emancipation had commenced the Blighty government was still very much in control of the Island. Therefore, many Indians came over because the Blighty empire expanded across Asia. According to George. W Roberts, (2013) he declares:

“The population increased with an introduction of Eastern Indian slaves in 1894, to 11,000 and the number of mixed population turned to 5,100. According to figures 40% of the island was white. This means, a very small island had basically more ethnicities than most could in habit. The other indication is that during WWII a further increase in the population of Xaymaca was the Syrians and Jewish in 1941. It was recorded to have 1,000 refugees fleeing the middle east.”

Analysing these figures, the labour increased and sugar cane plantations were still in production for Blighty. It was very much instilled into the population.

From a personal perspective it is only right people let go and form their own government. Leave the whole Blighty situation alone. I totally agree in the whole independence of Xaymaca in 1962. However, they are still tied to the Blighty commonwealth alongside The collapse of The British Raj with the help of Ghandi in 1947.

Now, with Ghandi – I share a kindred spirit. He was incitful and felt equality needed to be established and must have seen the Maroons play a significant part in slavery history. It must have inspired him. To this day the Maroons inspire me. Ghandi had told the people of India to carry out civildisobedience. It was through this action they found independence after WWII. I feel no one else could have united the people in such a manner.

Now, I write this I feel the whole world has been subjected to this imperalism for far too long. Yes, you have your own identities as countries but your net earnings owed is accumulating to billions and the IMF apparently say you are in too much deficit, with as little as 4% profits. To be honest with you – I find the whole ordeal corrupt.

You need a visionary, to push the way forward and cut ties with countries that used to oppress people. Psychologically, it would be counterproductive for abuse to continue as I have more research as Ghandi really was awe inspiring, he said to the Indian population:

“Machinery in the past has made us dependent on England, and the only way we can rid ourselves of the dependence is to boycott all goods made by machinery. This is why we have made it the patriotic duty of every Indian to spin his own cotton and weave his own cloth.”

This means he wanted his country to be innovative and make their own machines to weave clothes. He wanted them to go through their own things and find their own research. Yes, they did and they have stuck to their own culture and stood their ground. There has been stereotyping before but this will be a reminder of the complexities of understanding indegiounous population of countries. Respecting their own values and traditions, not imposing your own.

I feel it is important to value the psychological impact in such to say, the people of Xaymaca have been subjected to so much psychological abuse they are unable to form their own economic growth and structure. Due to being in a system of slavery for so many year’s. It stands to reason these people feel:

I don’t know. Speaking from my own perspective, it is hard to live with someone who accuses you or abuses you constantly. To pick on the colour of your skin or your background is even worse; especially since it is illegal. Sometimes, I feel legislation is not enough. If the government are willing to continue the oppressive stereotyping then the people look up to the government and their attitudes will not change. I live in hope, but, so many lives have been lost due to ignorance and oppression. You would think in this day and age people would want to change, or, at least show some form of compassion towards one another.
It is the moral concept creating hostility towards Equality and Diversity.

If the government continues international relations and does not improve the mental health stigma the cycle will continue. These are my feelings as I witness other’s not really preventing racism but creating in situational racism which is even more devastating. The people who are the most vulnerable are tortured in custody. Goodness me! I feel a little as though our lives have been in this bubble of hate for centuries; is it all necessary? Can we not evolve?

So, what stereotype has the Blighty government continued?

This didn’t stop – throughout history due to the Commonwealth relationship Blighty has made Xaymaca pay for improvements on the island. This is not a “gift”…. £300 million was for a prison and was to make sure the criminal system was more secure in Jamaica according to Jamaican Gleaner, (Sep, 2015), David Cameron stated:

“That’s why this agreement is so important. It will mean Jamaican criminals are sent back home to serve their sentences, saving the British taxpayer millions of pounds but still ensuring justice is done.”

More than 600 Jamaicans are said to be behind bars in Britain – the third most from any country.

Well, it is there written as a stereotype. You, couldn’t even make up 4 centuries worth of relationships to improve equality and diversity in your own country; David Cameron you need to stop offending countries by creating stereotyping boundaries. Oh how embarrassing. Maybe you need to read my post David Cameron: Do You Realise You Are Stereotyping Yourself?

I felt numb because I know the truth about the law’s which were made in Blighty to police stop and search Black and Asian youths at any time. This basically means you are guilty before you have even proved your innocence. I don’t even know why people tolerate this kind of behaviour. It makes you wonder if people literally have given up. Depression would increase and a wave of actually feeling like you are guilty so you may as well continue it, sets in. Crime statistics increases because you are being labelled as a criminal. Psychologically, the system destroys the good in a person.
As the Equality and Human Rights Comission, (2015) shows the figures and states:

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People who are black, Asian or of a mixed ethnicity are also disproportionately stopped and searched when the police use the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Section 60 of this Act gives the police the power to stop and search any pedestrians or vehicles for offensive weapons or dangerous instruments within a specified area and during a specified period of time.”

How can this be justifiable? To put a racist stereotype on the very people the country oppressed.

To get the general figures this means Asian and Black youths are 28 % more likely to be arrested than white people.

An increase in figures for foreigners in prisons is a sign of racism being even more dominant.

Also figure’s indicate, foreign prisoners are imprisoned for not having the correct documentation there is an increase becuause of the EU Relations, which means another unfair representation. As Institute of Race Relations, (2015) further documents the following through statistics:

“In 2009/10 black people were 3.3 times more likely to be arrested than white people.

Those from a mixed ethnic group were 2.3 times more likely to be arrested than white people.”

So, does it seem as though a person has a chance in Blighty if they are a certain ethnicity? Even the judicial sentences are heavier than the indegiounous people of Blighty as Black and Asian community as the Institute of Race Relations, (2015) reveals:

“A study in 2011, based on an analysis of over one million court records found that black offenders were 44 per cent more likely than white offenders to be given a prison sentence for driving offences, 38 per cent more likely for public order offences or possession of a weapon and 27 per cent more likely for possession of drugs. Asian people were 19 per cent more likely than white people to be given a prison sentence for shoplifting and 41 per cent more likely for drugs offences.”

Analysing the data, I feel that it doesn’t justify the behaviour of the government to continue the psychological mindset of oppressing people to think they are criminals. Morally it seems so corrupt and unethical to subject all the people connected in the triangle of slavery.

Who actually makes this system fair?

As more figures reveal the Asian and Black employment in the Blighty judicial system as it is stated by the Institute of Race Relations, (2015):

“4 senior judges, out of 161, were known to be from a BME community.

1 senior civil servant out of 52, working for the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) was known to be from a BME community.

3 per cent of the senior police officers in England and Wales were from a BME community.”

There you have it. The psychological complexity of living in Blighty as a descendent of the imperialism. In these figures I will also include the Irish because they were subjected to a lot of slavery during Imperialism and you can see the psychological impact on their wellbeing from an unequal society.
The figures are from counselling directory , (2015):

“Individuals from African-Caribbean backgrounds have long since experienced racism and discrimination, with various studies such as The Parekh Report and the Diversity and Disadvantage study (as cited by Mind), suggesting that up to 20,000 African-Caribbean individuals are victims of some form of physical assault every year.”

Which only leads to mote mental health problems as they are victims of abuse.
Being a victim of a racial attack can be seen as the following:

The mental health issues which show even more discrimination within Blighty. Incredible neglect which can cause the wellbeing of a person to deteriorate even further. Institutional racism can also lead to misdiagnosis as counselling directory, (2015):

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Research from the 1980s shows that Black people were more likely to be detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983, which allows police to arrest a person and take them to a ‘place of safety’ if they feel that they may be suffering from a mental health disorder in a public place. In addition, Black people were also found to stand triple the risk of being sectioned when compared to the White population.

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With neglect and stereotyping the abuse that vulnerable as the Home Affairs (2015) also says people who are black with mental health problems are 50% more likely to die in police cutody. Especially if they have been restrained. They also state the police are more likely to use excessive force on black mental health service users. The stigma creates even more paranoia amongst the ethnic minorities.

Surely being a woman wouldn’t make matters worse?

Yes, because as you state to a G.P psychosis – they will automatically put those things down. Especially with women in general because of the emotional instability if they have been through a traumatic experience and are unable to voice their opinions. Really, put this down to misdiagnosis which can also be another aspect of neglect and discrimination.
As seen in Counselling Directory, (2015):

“Black women in particular are treated very differently to their White counterparts when using mental health services, and are 20 per cent more likely to receive a psychosis diagnosis compared to white women (who are likely to be diagnosed with a personality disorder when exhibiting the same symptoms). Furthermore, Black women are less likely than White women to display symptoms of postnatal depression and GPs are less likely to recognise any symptoms or signs of a mental health concern.”

Not recognising post – natal depression in another ethnicity is actually neglectful as well. I just think it is a case of whether or not they want to change things. It means the quality of life, for a black woman isn’t improved.

I feel it is justifiable to ensure the wellbeing is put in place for both mother and baby to have a stable and loving relationship. This equality is not being able to happen everywhere across the country because there is the whole stigma attached to mental health issues. It is okay to admit there are problems and you need the extra support or the assistance to overcome a traumatic experience. It will break this continual cycle of pretending to be strong and actually ending up with far worse symptoms than before.

How Have Other Minorities With Mental Health Problems Been treated in Blighty?

Now, just to compare the actual Psychological impact of the Irish. This may terrify a few people because of the ideology: they are white and they would be treated better, is another stereotype. Not likely, this is discrimination at it’s highest point. There should be a little remorse for the way the Irish rebelled against the whole of Blighty, but, there was definitely discrimination. This is pointed out by Counselling Directory, (2015):

“For many years the Irish endured persecution from both English politicians and the public meaning they consistently had to face barriers of inequality in education, employment, health and housing.

For a period of around three decades, experts have found the prevalence of poor physical and mental health to be significantly higher than that of the general population. According to a report conducted by the Office for National Statistics in 2002, the Irish were found to have the highest prevalence of common mental disorders of any ethnic minority group, and the rate of anxiety disorders among men was found to be highest in the Irish group”

Comparing the prevelence of discrimination within even the white community, shows the link of dislike for anyone who does not conform. This can ultimately be seen as a form of oppression.

When people are oppressed they can be subjected to the most discriminating abuse. As Blighty didn’t take kindly to the Irish rebels and Sein Fein, they continued to neglect the Irish population in the UK.

Of course, they will neglect the Muslim community, subjecting them to the worst discrimination – especially regarding their own communities. As more evidence can be seen through Counselling Directory, (2015):

“Furthermore, an increased focus on terrorism in both the media and in general means that Muslims even face discrimination in their homes, with a 2006 rethink report highlighting findings which suggest that 29 per cent would not want to live next door to a person with mental health problems, and 47 per cent would not be happy living next door to a Muslim with mental health problems.

The same study also revealed that 89 per cent of the individuals surveyed felt that people are more wary and suspicious of Muslim people today than they were a decade ago, and 89 per cent of participants admitted to believing our attitudes towards others and our treatment of them does impact mental health.”

So you can see that discrimination plays a significant part on a person’s wellbeing. Oppression is not something you can just improve through legislation and continual ethical practice. If people are not taught morally they are oppressive and they need to change their own behaviour; this perpetual ignorance towards a situation which creates it’s own psychological abuse, through prejudice and stereotyping continues within a broken Blighty.
As many are leaving to try and start rebuilding their lives after the psychological impact.

The embarrassment is further formed through the gift from “Land of the Eastern Sun“, as they broke stereotypes and tried to build a non – racist relationship with Xaymaca. The stigma is no longer formed as they offered the gift to help the universities have more technology to compete with the rest of the world and the prospect of jobs.

Such proposals benefit a society and relinquish racism :

☆ Improving wellbeing,

☆ Development,

☆ Aspirations

☆ Economic growth.

☆ Opportunities to advance

☆ Equality

☆ Improvements to amenities

Stigma is not necessary for the international relationships for ethnic communities around the globe. As Blighty almost changed, but, did not have the full capacity of humanity in government to change; they are in a stalemate position.

Conclusion

History shows systematic racial abuse in the relationship between all of the countries it once colonised and used as slaves. It also demonstrates it will never improve in Blighty because of their stereotypes. Even legislation cannot improve the moral decay of such behaviour. They are just fabricating some things to make it look as though they are making improvements. In order to change racial relationships, boundaries and stereotyping must be put aside and agendas of a person using a complexed psychological superiority complex would not help resolve issues of discrimination, neglect and abuse within society either.

Having a government who ignores history means, people do not respect their diversity and equality in society. It creates more mental health issues as the abuse continues.

Recognising the continuing patterns and preventing further discrimination would perhaps improve society, but, it would take generations of people to improve the emotional wellbeing, of people whom are subjected to racist abuse constantly. Supporting the ideology that everyone is equal is okay, but, racial stereotyping should never be allowed because it is showing a sign that you would like to oppress an individual. As stated even the Irish have been subjected to abuse. The whole perception has been based on law’s which people are not abiding by and Respecting.

One day things may improve. Rest in peace to the ones who built a nation.